All My Children Commentary

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The Best and Worst of All My Children 2013:
We've come to the end of another year, and once again we're saying goodbye to All My Children. This week we take one last look back at the things t... Read the column now...

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While munching on a slice of cake, Trevor listened to his wife rant about Vanessa Bennett's devious deeds. Janet was certain that Erica would be devastated if and when Vanessa's tell-all book hit the shelves. Trevor noted that Janet had "sounded the alarm" about Vanessa on numerous occasions. If Erica chose to ignore the warning, then Trevor felt Erica had only herself to blame for any fallout. Janet was furious with Vanessa. "When I get mad, I get even," Janet snarled. Brooke dropped by and Janet claimed that she was just the person she was looking for. Janet took a few minutes to bring Brooke up to date on everything that had transpired in the Vanessa saga. Brooke advised Janet to let Erica's lawyers tackle the Donald Steele situation. Janet, however, had other plans. She put on a black wig, grabbed her purse, and stormed out of the house.

Becca mixed together some sort of herbal concoction, saying that she was sure that the mixture would take away Tad's back pain. "I'm not drinking that," he groused. Becca smiled and explained that he wasn't supposed to drink the mixture, he was suppose to apply it to his back. Tad screamed for Dixie, but Dixie was nowhere to be found. "My wife is the only woman I go topless for," Tad said wittily when Becca asked him to take off his shirt. Dixie entered the room and instructed Tad to do as Becca requested. Tad opted to head to the local drugstore for a more conventional treatment. There was just one problem: He couldn't stand up to even take one step n the direction of the pharmacy. He relented and agreed to let Becca place her concoction on his back. Becca left the room to tend to some other matters. She couldn't have been gone more than a few minutes when Tad noticed a "tingly" sensation in the small of his back. Miraculously, the potion numbed the pain and Tad was able to "join the rest of the bipeds." Becca returned to the room and couldn't help but ribbed Tad over his initial refusal of her treatment. She mused that he didn't make a very good coffeetable. Out of thanks for Becca's assistance, Dixie asked Becca to stay in Pine Valley for a little while. Becca gladly accepted the offer of a place to stay and a chance to babysit the boys. In return, she'd be given access to the many herbs and wildflowers growing at Wildwind.

Max practiced writing his name on a piece of paper. "Mateo Santos Jr" was scrawled rather neatly on the sheet. "I have the same name as my daddy," said the young boy proudly. Mateo knocked on the door and asked Max to let him in. The father-son combo engaged in a little "Three Little Pigs" fun before Mateo was actually allowed inside the condo. Hayley followed closely behind and Max's disappointment was quite apparent. Hayley asked Max about his day in school, but Max didn't so much as look in her direction. Raquel gently scolded her son for ignoring Hayley. Max finally did acknowledge Hayley, but it was little more than a one word greeting. Max asked his father to read him a bedtime story and Mateo happily agreed. Meanwhile, Hayley said that she wanted a few moments to speak to Raquel. Hayley started off the discussion by reminding Raquel that she and Mateo were trying to start a family of their own. Raquel sighed deeply and asked Hayley if she was pregnant. Hayley shook her head. "No," she said softly. "And I won't be any time soon." Hayley explained that Dr. Erle felt is was not the appropriate time for Hayley and Mateo to have a baby. Raquel was stunned that Hayley would put Max's needs ahead of her own. "It's the right thing to do," Hayley said forcing a smile. She seemed as though she was trying to convince herself that it was, in fact, the right thing to do. Raquel wanted to say something that would make Hayley feel better, but there wasn't much that she could say or do. "Once he's ready," said Raquel of her son, "he'll make room for you." Hayley told Raquel that she wanted the young boy to realize that he's loved by many people. Mateo returned to the room and said that Max was fast asleep. As Mateo and Hayley walked out the front door, Max suddenly screamed in terror. "Mommy! Daddy! Help me!" Mateo raced to his son's bedside. He carried the boy into the livingroom and asked him about the bad dream that he'd had. Max was reluctant at first to talk about the nightmare. When he did open up, he said that in his dream, Hayley had been putting on a magic show. She said "the magic words" to make Mateo disappear, but she said that she was never going to make him re-appear. "She stole him," Max said, his voice cracking. Hayley knelt down next to Max and promised that she'd never take Mateo away from him. Max, however, wasn't interested in what she had to say. Hayley decided that it was best to leave. Mateo, however, decided to stick around until he was sure that Max was going to be okay. Outside, Hayley looked through the window and observed Mateo, Max, and Raquel smiling happily...smiling like a family should.

Derek quickly noted that David's body had not been recovered, but that he was sure that David was dead. Adam insisted that he had nothing to do with David's disappearance. Derek, however, had something that said otherwise---a letter from David. The letter had been hand-delivered by David's attorney, Leslie Coulson. The letter was rather vague. In it, David said that if he turned up missing it was more than likely the work of Adam Chandler. No reason was given for the allegation. Instead, the letter referred to a second letter that had been given to Liza. Liza realized that she'd received the letter that had been mentioned. She looked on the table where she'd left it, but it was nowhere to be found. Jake, who had left the room shortly after Derek arrived because of cries coming from Colby's room, finally returned. He hadn't heard all of the details of the conversation, but he felt that he had something important to add. He told Derek that Adam has been trying to dig up dirt on David for weeks. Adam didn't deny the claim. He reminded everyone that David had tried to kill him. This, he said, was more than enough reason for wanting to run David out of town---for good. Jake was convinced that Chandler Mansion was no longer a safe haven for his daughter. He ordered Liza and Colby to move in with his parents. Liza was stunned. She flatly refused to budge, saying that in the morning she and Adam were to be married. In short, she wasn't going anywhere for any reason. Erica stepped in to soothe the frazzled nerves. She boasted that she had information that would shed new light on David's disappearance. She stated that David had called her earlier in the day and informed her that he was taking a few days off to reexamine his life. All eyes turned towards her. Erica said that David hadn't told her where he was, but he had promised to be back in time for her next treatment. Derek asked Erica why she hadn't offered the information in the first place. Erica grinned and said that she has always enjoyed watching Adam sweat. Liza told Derek that she wanted to take some type of legal action against David to prevent him for making bogus claims about his death in the future. Derek promised that there would be a full investigation. Derek left and Jake followed shortly thereafter. Liza, meanwhile, went upstairs to check on Colby. This allowed Erica and Adam some time alone. Erica told Adam that he should thank her for saving his "sorry hide." Erica reached into her handbag and produced the letter she'd snitched from Liza. Adam vowed his "undying gratitude" to Erica, but demanded that he be given the letter. Erica refused and warned Adam that she could show the letter to Liza at any time. Erica held the letter in the air and laughed gleefully. Adam chased after Erica and again asked that she give him the letter.

In an unknown location, David reviewed his telephone messages. One of the messages, from Erica, urged David to call immediately. Under his breath, David muttered that he could do better than a phone call.

Vanessa visited Donald to tell him that she'd been kicked out of Erica's house. Donald feared that Vanessa was going to try to back out on the book deal. Just to be on the safe side, he'd dug up a little dirt on Vanessa and threatened to use it against her if she decided to walk. The information he'd unearthed didn't appear to be overly exciting; it said that Vanessa's days at MGM were few and her fame was fleeting. Vanessa decided that they should "shift the spotlight" onto someone else while she worked on getting her foot back in the door with Erica. The new subject? Janet Green---Crowbar Killer. Vanessa spilled all the juicy details about how Janet had tossed Natalie down a well, assumed her life, slept with Trevor, and then later ended up married to Trevor. It all seemed quite odd to Donald. Vanessa then berated the writer for having allowed Janet and Trevor into his hotel room. Donald soon realized that the agent that wanted to buy the rights to the tell-all book was none other than Trevor Dillon. While Donald had his back turned, Vanessa snatched up one of the author's floppy disks. Donald, however, caught her in the act and ordered her to give back the disk. "You can't blame a girl for trying," Vanessa smiled. Vanessa left the hotel room. Only a few minutes later, a woman claiming to be part of the housekeeping staff knocked on the door. Donald turned her away, but the woman let herself into the room anyway. Donald looked in horror as he realized that this wasn't an ordinary housekeeping visit----this was "Mean Janet Green." Janet sat down on the sofa next to Donald and checked out what the writer was working on on his laptop computer. Paragraph after paragraph recounted Janet's early days in Pine Valley. Days she'd rather forget. Janet mentioned that she might help Donald write her story---but only if he agreed to drop the Erica book. Donald refused, saying that financial obligations required him to finish the book. Janet asked Donald if he's ever held a crowbar. She then described the technique she uses when trying to kill someone, "Lift, turn, follow through." Janet reached into her purse and pulled out a retractable club. She held the club menacingly. She slowly walked towards Donald and again ordered him to nix the book on Erica. Donald reached for the phone, but Janet smashed the phone with her club. She followed Donald around the room, smashing the lamp for good measure. The cavalry arrived in the form of Trevor and Brooke. Trevor tried to pull Janet away from Donald, but Janet slugged him in the stomach. Trevor doubled over in pain. Brooke then stepped between Janet and Donald, a move she would live to regret. Perhaps that's a poor choice of words. Janet ordered Brooke out of her way. When she refused, Janet clobbered Brooke over the head with her club. Brooke fell to the ground, a pool of blood forming underneath her head. Donald fled the room. When he opened the door, he found Vanessa waiting in the hallway. Trevor crawled over to Brooke and checked her pulse. "She's dead," he said in a voice barely above a whisper.

Dan is out of town today working on some AMC-related ventures. In his place, today's recap
was provided by jennymc.

Gillian was blissfully trying on new shoes, amid shopping bags scattered throughout Myrtle's living room. Jake came in and told her she could stop traffic in those shorts and shoes! She admitted to using David's money for shoes, adding that even she couldn't get through all that money just on shoes - but Jake had his doubts! She then confessed that she had spilled her guts to Adam after Jake left the other day. Jake was shocked and asked her what she'd told him. Gillian hesitatingly told all, but was surprised at Jake's reaction. Waiting for him to tell her she was a money-grubber, she was amazed when he told her she should have taken Adam for more money! He admitted he came a bit strong, like the Marines coming in, when he made Adam leave, "But I didn't want to see you taken advantage of," he explained.

At the Chandler mansion, Erica was taunting Adam with David's letter to Liza. "Ohhh, Liza, look what I've got," she trilled from the foot of the stairs. As she started up the stairs, Adam grabbed at her and in the process ... her mask and bandage went flying into the air giving a horrified Adam a view of her face! Erica panicked in shame and embarrassment and scrambled to recover her mask, all the while holding her hands to her face. Liza came down the stairs and saw what had happened. "Erica, I had no idea," said a shocked Adam, as a distressed Erica rushed out of the house. Liza urged Adam to go after her and make sure she got home safely.

At the Valley Inn room where Janet had successfully scared off Vanessa's ghostwriter, Vanessa came breezing in. She scornfully mocked their "cheap theatrics" and kicked at the recumbent bloodstained Brooke "You going to off me too? she taunted the crowbar-wielding Janet. At that moment, Brooke sat up and threatened Vanessa, "Touch me and I'll bite your leg off!" She told Vanessa in no uncertain terms that she and Tempo would block any attempt to publish the tell-all story of Erica in any other publication. Vanessa scoffed at the idea she could be stopped. "I'll just take it to a larger magazine," she told Brooke. Trevor told Vanessa they have the goods on her, and to prove the point Trevor started reading the story on the laptop describing Erica's face as a gargoyle. Janet looked shocked at the ugly phrasing of the exposé. Trevor cheerfully told Vanessa, "Wait till Erica gets a load of this, you'll be out on your keister!" Janet suggested they print out a copy. Trevor spotted the printer and went to get it, as Janet eased off her black "Mean Janet Green" wig. Vanessa quickly seized her opportunity, grabbed the laptop and smashed it to the floor, with a triumphant, "Never underestimate me!"

In the storeroom of Sounds Of Salsa, a dejected Hayley had flashbacks of all the bad things that had happened recently - her and Mateo's dream of running SOS together, the good news that she can have children, the bad news that she has to wait because of Max. As she came back to reality she threw a box of colorful paper plates and ornaments at the door - just as Ryan came in. He tried to cheer her up, but she mournfully told him of the happy family scene she had just witnessed before she came to SOS without Mateo.

Erica arrived home, closely followed by Adam. Adam told her he admired her bravery. She insisted she wanted to be alone, but he persisted and held her in a comforting hug, concern all over his face. "I feel for you," he murmured. Erica went to her purse and waved David's letter at him. "I suppose this is why you followed me! Well, take it!" Adam took the letter and set fire to it with a cigarette lighter, then tossed the charred remains into the fireplace. Adam thanked her, but Erica pointed out that she didn't do it for him, but for Jake, whom she considers the perfect father for little Colby. "She deserves Jake as a father, not you!" Adam was crushed.

Meanwhile, Liza was having a little chat with the baby in question. "I hope your daddy is not up to his old tricks," she told her daughter. "I want to believe him, but I don't trust him." She picked Colby up and cuddled her. "Adam wants to do what's best," she continued, speaking softly. "And when I get hurt he tries to spare my feelings. You have to be on your guard, but you love him no matter what. You can't help yourself."

Gillian and Ryan had another heart-to-heart. Jake updated her on the recent events at Adam's house, with Derek arriving with a letter from David adding to the mystery of the missing doc.

At SOS, Hayley tearfully spilled out her feelings to Ryan about how she was upset at always having to put her needs behind everyone else's, and how she is always trying to do the right thing for everyone except herself. Ryan tried to comfort her, but added that there's no quick fix. But then he thinks of something - "Here, throw these!" he told her, holding out a pile of colored paper plates. She hurled them across the room - "That's for being on a back burner!" (No comment!) Then another - "That's for being a second wife!" The throwing picked up speed until they both started tossing popcorn all over the place, and ended up laughing, on their knees amid the chaos of paper plates, colored decorations, leis and popcorn. Calming down again, Hayley told Ryan the latest bad news, that she and Mateo have to postpone having a baby. Ryan put his arm around her in comfort.

Back at the Valley Inn, Vanessa still seemed confident that she had outwitted the Dillons. Trevor, however, decided to call Erica and bring her up to date on Vanessa's evildoing. Erica told Trevor she had already given Vanessa her walking papers. Janet and Trevor happily wish Vanessa "bon voyage" and leave. "Let's go catch Axel's act over at the comedy club," Trevor suggested. Vanessa slammed the door behind them, then took out a small tape recorder and started dictating - "Notes for a new book. What does a beautiful woman do, who loses her beauty? Ho does she survive? If she's Erica Kane, she doesn't survive!"

Erica asked Adam to leave. He told her he now has leverage against David, but Erica said she doesn't care and to leave her out of it. After Adam left, she glanced wistfully at the huge portrait of herself above the fireplace.

In the storeroom, Ryan and Hayley sit amid all the debris of their throw-fest. Hayley opened a large jar of maraschino cherries and popped one in Ryan's mouth then leaned her head on his shoulder - not noticing that Mateo entered taking in the scene.

Jake and Gillian discussed David's disappearance as they sip coffee. Jake told her he's worried about Colby being in Adam's house. Gillian admires Jake's fatherly concerns and speculates how her life would have been different if her father had cared for her.
Adam returned home. Liza asked him about David. "Did you kill him?" she asked. "Did you hire someone?" Adam admitted he was tempted, but swore he knows nothing about the disappearance, and said it was Jake putting doubts in her head. "No, it's ME," she replied angrily. "It's me, knowing you better than I know myself. Tell me what it is you're not telling me. I want the truth, right here, right now!"

As Erica turned away from her portrait, her imagination took her to ... a scene where she descends the staircase in the glamorous white satin gown from the portrait, holding a long-handled mask in front of her face. Amid cries from the press, she sees David. He holds out his hand and says, "It's time to take off the mask." She hands it to him, and her face is perfect. Flashbulbs light up the room as a suave David lovingly watches.
Then the dream ended. Erica returned to reality, saddened by her dream of being perfect again. As she mused, a hand touched her shoulder, making her jump! She turned around to see David smiling at her!

Sheets lined the floors and walls at Cortlandt Manor as the renovations to transform the mansion into a day spa continued. With Adam and Liza's wedding day less than twenty-four hours away, Marian and Stuart were busy finalizing plans and arrangements for the ceremony. That's what led them to visit Opal; Marian hoped that Opal could do Liza's hair. Opal gladly offered her services and mentioned that she was amazed that Stuart and Marian were able to plan such an elaborate wedding by themselves. Marian smiled proudly and gently boasted that Edmund had given them permission to pick wildflowers from the ground at Wildwind to use in the bouquets. Opal guessed that the couple was overjoyed to have Scott back at home. Stuart mentioned that they haven't seen much of Scott because he's in love. They carefully described the object of his affection in great detail. "She's Japanese," said Stuart. "And she hums especially when Scott come up behind her and holds her to his face." Opal's brow wrinkled slightly, but her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when Stuart mentioned that Scott's lady has only one eye. Marian and Stuart chuckled merrily and they quickly explained that Scott was infatuated with a video camera. Opal let out a deep breath and joined the laughter. Adrian and Belinda stopped by to tell Opal that her application for a zoning change would be filed in the morning. There would be a hearing to determine whether or not the zoning board would grant the request. Palmer slithered into the room in a foul mood. He announced that he was there to pick up his son for their court-ordered visitation. Stuart felt a need to speak out about what had transpired at the art gallery before allowing Palmer to walk off with Petey. Palmer warned Stuart to keep quiet, but Stuart knew that the truth had to be told. Opal noted that Palmer's attempt to sneak in a visit directly violated the court's orders. Belinda informed both Opal and Palmer that she would alert the court to Palmer's shenanigans. The end result for Palmer could be the forfeiture of all visits with his son. Petey scurried into the room obviously looking forward to his visit with his father. Opal told her son that there'd been a scheduling mistake and the visit would have to be rescheduled. Palmer promised his son that he'd see him so before departing. Petey, meanwhile, asked Adrian if he'd done something to make his father mad. Adrian looked tenderly at the young boy and assured him that he'd done nothing wrong. Adrian then gave his little brother a tickling and told him that he likes spending time with him. Marian and Stuart headed on their way and Opal and Petey headed off to play a few games before bedtime. Adrian, meanwhile, told Belinda that he wanted to stick it to Palmer for upsetting Opal yet again. Belinda wondered what Adrian was up to. The former spy said nothing other than offering his assurance that he had no plans to kill Palmer. The plan, though, did require Belinda's assistance.

Hayley rested her head on Ryan's shoulder as they both thought about how life would be in a perfect world. Neither was aware that Mateo was observing them from the doorway. Hayley looked up and noticed that Mateo wasn't thrilled about the mess in the room. "We're trying something new with the decor," Hayley said with a hopeful smile. "We like to call it 'earthquake.'" Mateo nodded his head slightly and muttered that it looked more the "two crazy people" had destroyed the back room. Both Hayley and Ryan apologized for the mess. They explained that they'd both been having really bad days and took out their frustration on the supplies. Mateo seemed sympathetic to their problems and said that he would help them clean up. The cleanup went much faster with three pairs of hands. When Hayley stepped out to take the trash to the dumpster, Mateo thanked Ryan for being there for Hayley. He knew that they were very good friends and thanked him for that. He told Ryan that he also thinks of him as a friend. Mateo asked Ryan to help remind Hayley that better times are ahead. In return, Mateo pledged to help Ryan and Gillian get back on track. "I know it's not really over between you and Gillian," said Mateo with a broad smile. Ryan shook his head and told Mateo that "way too much has gone down" for him and Gillian to ever get back what they never had. Later, Mateo softly told Hayley that he was sorry for putting her in a situation that makes her so unhappy. Hayley assured him that it was not his fault and that he was only doing what he felt he had to do. The pair then slow-danced together and shared a kissed.

"We've given David Hayward too much importance in our life," Adam grumbled. He explained that by letting David get them worked up, they were making it easier for him to annoy them. Liza still believed that Adam was holding something back from her. She demanded that Adam come forward and tell her everything. Their relationship was supposed to be based on equality, she noted. If that was not going to be the case, she wanted to know before the wedding took place. Equality, in Liza's mind, meant that she wanted to be a fifty-fifty force in getting rid of David. Adam sat Liza down and proceeded to tell her how David had pledged to give Gillian money for Ryan's bail---but only if he slept with her. "He made [Gillian] prostitute herself?" asked Liza in shock. Adam nodded and said that she hadn't heard the full story yet. Adam explained how David had given Gillian one hundred thousand dollars to help her and Ryan flee the country. That, he noted proudly, was illegal. He followed it up by informed Liza that David had been the one who'd told the authorities where to find the fugitives. Liza was deeply upset by David's dirt deeds. She wondered why David would want to hurt Ryan and Gillian. "Because he knew he could," Adam replied. He said that David loathes seeing people happy; the letters he'd sent to Liza and Derek were proof of that. Adam warned Liza that more letters from the doctor could be on their way to the house. He asked that she hand them over to him immediately---unopened. Liza didn't like the idea of being "protected," but she understood that Adam only wanted to keep her from getting upset and hurt. Liza and Adam kissed, but their moment of passion was interrupted when Marian waltzed into the room. Marian urged the pair to continue what they were doing. Liza pulled away and cast her mother a slightly annoyed look. She explained that while her mother might enjoy having someone walk in on her intimate moments, she didn't. "That gene skipped a generation," Liza sneered. Marian apologized and said that she'd be on her way. As she walked away, Marian suddenly stopped. "If that's true," she said thoughtfully. "Then Colby is going to be just like me!"

"How did you get in here?" Erica snapped. David said that the front door had been left ajar. Now that the how had been answered, Erica wanted to know why David had shown up on her doorstep. "I came back because of you," David said softly. He reminded Erica that she was still his patient. Erica asked David if he'd called her while he was out of town. David shook his head and said that he'd contacted no one while he was letting his hand heal. "You created quite a sensation," said Erica of David's disappearance. She told David that Leslie had delivered his letters leading the police to believe that he was dead. David chuckled to himself and claimed that he'd forgotten all about the letters. Erica didn't buy it. David had gone to great lengths to acquire the information he'd written about in his letters. David didn't even appear mildly disappointed when Erica informed him that she'd "intercepted" his letter to Liza and that Adam and Liza were still together. David professed that he'd had a revelation, of sorts, and it was all thanks to Erica. No longer did he feel the need to get revenge, something he'd prided himself on for years. The conversation took a sharp turn as Erica told David that she talked to Vanessa about his father's death. David denied that his mother's account of the death---one in which she'd alleged that David actually killed his father---was, true. Erica refused to tell David who she believed. She did, however, inform David that she'd kicked Vanessa out of her house. For that, David was thankful. Even under someone else's roof, David felt that his mother could still pose a danger to Erica. Bianca phoned to check on her mother's condition. During the several minute-long conversation, Erica told Bianca that she was "almost completely healed" and that she'd be returning to modeling any day. After the phone call ended, David blasted Erica for having lied to her daughter. He didn't think it was appropriate to tell the young girl lies. David felt it would be healthy for Bianca to have a chance to be strong for her mother's sake. Erica, on the other hand, worried that the truth about her face would lead to a setback in Bianca's recovery. David asked Erica pointedly if she thought that Bianca would no longer love her if she found out that her face could be permanently scarred. "Looks matter," replied Erica glumly. She told David that her masked had "slipped" and allowed Adam and Liza a clear view of the damage to her face. Their reaction made her realize "just how hideous" she really was. David looked warmly at Erica and told her that he's seen her face and doesn't think she's hideous. Erica bowed her head and asked David to leave. "Okay," David nodded. "But I will be back."

The clickity-clack of an adding machine signaled that it was time to balance the first month's receipts at Sounds of Salsa. Mateo tallied the cash the club had taken in while Hayley had the more painful task of adding up the expenditures. She entered the backroom with a dismal expression on her face. Before she showed Mateo her total, she reminded him that they'd incurred many expenses from having to renovate the club and purchasing the supplies and fixtures. Matt looked at her bottom line and compared it to his total. "We're making money," he said in shock. Hayley snatched the adding machine tape away from Mateo and looked at the total. Mateo was right; they were making money. The two celebrated with a kiss. Ryan had entered the room, but quickly turned around when he saw the couple attached lip-to-lip. He was quickly called back and shown the good news. Ryan suggested that Mateo and Hayley take the morning off to celebrate. Hayley bowed her head and promptly left the room. Mateo explained that he had to spend time with Max so he'd be unable to spend time with Hayley.

With Edmund's approval, the herbs of Wildwind were at Becca's disposal. Dixie gave her young friend directions to the castle. Becca found it rather a musing that a Hungarian castle had been transported stone-by-stone to Pennsylvania. Nevertheless, she dashed off to replenish her supply of nature's goodies. After she left, Tad told Dixie that his back was feeling much better. Presumably, he didn't want to admit that he felt better in front of Becca. Jake entered the house through the back door. His face echoed the feeling of unhappiness that he harbored. He reminded Tad and Dixie that this was to be Adam and Liza's wedding day. "I gotta stop the wedding," Jake grumbled. Dixie looked towards her brother-in-law and said that she thought Jake had made peace with Adam and Liza's plans to get married. Jake shook his head and mentioned that there were "new developments." Using great restraint, Jake told Tad and Dixie that the police had dropped by Chandler Mansion to ask questions about the murder of David Hayward. Dixie was immediately shocked. Since David had helped nurse her back to health, she had a special place for him in her heart. Ahem, sorry about the unintentional pun. Jake quickly noted that Erica claimed to have spoken to David since his disappearance, but he hinted that he wasn't sure whether or not he could believe her. There had to be some way, Jake muttered, to prevent Liza from walking down the aisle. Short of a court order that took Colby away from Liza, Dixie saw no way to accomplish the feat. "Kidnapping?" Jake chirped. Tad liked the idea, but Dixie was strongly opposed. The three put their heads together to come up with some type of plan, but the ideas were few and far between. The summoned the wisdom of Tad's algebra teacher and Dixie's Uncle Palmer, but still nothing came to them. Jake realized that he'd spoken to everyone about Adam and David's rivalry except for one person---David. If he's still alive, Jake was sure that he held all the answers.

Videography for the wedding was to be done by Pine Valley's "next Steven Spielberg," Scott Chandler. As he set up the camera, Marian and Stuart returned from their wildflower gathering. Scott described how he planned to shoot the wedding. He also mentioned that he might use outtakes in his latest film project, an examination on relationship between men and women. Scott needed to go to WRCW to pick up some extra cables for the video camera. Stuart accompanied him while Marian worked on getting things in order. Everything was going smoothly until the caterer phoned and informed Marian that they'd gotten the dates for the reception mixed-up. They thought the reception was to be held the following day, so they were unable to keep their commitment to provide the food for Adam and Liza's post-wedding shindig. Marian threw a fit. She knew that there was no way that she could find a substitute on such short notice. Marian went back to organizing her floral arrangements. As she did, Becca entered through the back of the chapel and called out for Marian to "be careful." Marian turned towards the younger woman and asked her why she was creating such a stir. Becca informed Marian that one of the flowers she was holding, hogwhort, caused skin irritation. This was not the type of bouquet someone would want to give to the bride! Marian haughtily replied that she knows everything about botany. She held up her hands and noted that she hadn't developed a rash. Becca warned her that the rash would develop, but only served to get Marian more worked up. "You're fired," she grumbled, thinking that Becca was one of the decorators. Becca was quite confused since she'd never been hired in the first place. She threw her hands in the air and walked away. Scott and Stuart returned later and heard the details of Marian's encounters with a woman she called "a ninny." Stuart acknowledged that his wife knew a lot about plants, but she didn't know everything. Marian refused to believe that Becca had been right about the plant until her hands started itching. Scott asked Marian to describe the woman. Marian said that she was "very young" and "had hair that had never seen a comb." Scott wondered aloud if this was the mystery woman he'd bumped into by the lake.

Becca returned to Tad and Dixie's house and told them about her encounter at Wildwind. From the description, Tad knew that Becca had met Marian. Becca repeatedly questioned why someone would not want to admit that they were wrong about something---especially if that something caused an itchy rash! Tad and Dixie both chuckled, with Tad telling Becca that people in Pine Valley go to great lengths to avoid having to admit that they're wrong.

With the help of the chambermaid, Vanessa gained access to David's room at The Valley Inn. Once inside, Vanessa poked around to see if she could find a clue about David's whereabouts. Finding nothing, she picked up the phone and called the front desk to see if David had left a forwarding address or number. As she asked, David returned to his room. He looked angrily at his mother and demanded to know what she was doing in his room. Vanessa claimed that she'd been concerned that something terrible might have happened to him. Considering their rocky past, David didn't buy a word of his mother's tale. David told his mother that he knew that Erica had kicked her out. He then told her that Erica had told him about their discussion of his father's death. Vanessa denied that she'd ever told Erica that David had killed his father. Saying that they "share a tragedy," Vanessa tried to convince her son that Erica had concocted the lie because she was unstable. "If I killed my father, did it ever occur to you that I might as well kill you?" David growled. Vanessa became quite nervous. She tried to play off her nervousness by praising David's "flair for the dramatic." She blasted David for always having to get the last word. "Don't push me mother," he snapped back. "One of these days I'm gonna push you back." David answered a knock at his door. Janet was surprised to see David, but even more surprised to see that Vanessa was still hanging around. Janet looked at David and told him that she needs "a consult about a malignancy." David grinned and called Janet a "keen diagnostician" for recognizing the cancerous effects of his mother. The only thing to do, they agreed, was to operate and rid Pine Valley of the cancer known as Vanessa. Janet filled David in on how she and Trevor had foiled Vanessa's plans to write a tell-all book about Erica. David was quite pleased. To make his mother stew, he told Janet that he'd like to have dinner with her and Trevor one night. Vanessa was furious that her own son had befriended her "enemy." David booted his mother from his room and told her to leave town as quickly as possible. He then walked side-by-side with Janet and offered to give her a ride home.

Out of bed for the first time since the accident, Raquel sat in a chair by the window reflecting upon the conversation she'd had with Hayley about her decision to put off having a baby. Ryan dropped by to ask a favor of Raquel. He told her that he wanted to spend some time with Max. Raquel's face grew serious and she said that Max had to spend time with Mateo and would be unable to do anything with him. She forced a smile and asked him to try again another day. Ryan explained how important it was for Mateo and Hayley to have some time alone. Since he didn't know the whole story about Max's need for a set scheduled, Ryan wondered if Raquel was "using Max to stay in the game" with Mateo. The insinuation was clear; Ryan thought that Raquel might be arranging visitation so that she could be around Mateo more. Raquel then explained that Dr. Erle suggested that Max have a regimented daily routine to bring normalcy back to his life. But it might not be unwise to let Max pick and choose things for himself. Max puttered into the room and was rather happy to see Ryan. Ryan asked Max if he wanted to go to the firehouse. He gleefully accepted the offer, but turned to his mom to make sure that it was okay. Raquel seemed genuinely pleased that her son was going to be going out with someone other than a family member. Ryan phoned SOS and allowed Max to ask his father if it would be okay to go to the fire station instead of having their regularly scheduled visit. Mateo told his son that he always looks forward to the time they spend together, but said that it would be a great idea for him to go out with Ryan.

David sat in his office reviewing the stack of mail that had accumulated while he was away. Suddenly another batch of mail was flung through the air at him. He looked up and saw Jake towering over him. "You're not leaving here until you tell me what's going on with you and Adam Chandler," Jake said sternly.

Crazed knocking sounded on Erica's front door. Erica had been upstairs, but she quickly put herself together and raced down the steps to see who was banging on the door. When she opened the door, Adam barged into her house without so much as a simple hello. "I'll get straight to the point," he mumbled. And that's exactly what he did. Forgetting that he was technically an uninvited guest in Erica's home, Adam demanded that Erica help him prevent David from crashing his wedding. At this point in time, Adam was unaware that David was back in town. He figured that this was the moment David had been waiting for---the chance to reveal Colby's paternity in front of a packed house. Hoping to convince Erica that helping him was the right thing to do, Adam turned on the charm. "I've seen your face, dammit!" he said seriously. "I know what he did to you." Erica saw through Adam's feeble attempt to charm her and blasted him for only thinking about himself. Then she dropped the news that David had visited her the previous night. Adam grew concerned and asked Erica what she and the doctor had talked about. Erica claimed that the conversation was private and therefore none of Adam's business. Adam, however, strongly objected. Since David was out to destroy his life and his happiness, he felt that every word David had uttered was his business. "I think he's moved on," said Erica seemingly out of nowhere. Adam's brow crinkled. Erica softly said that she'd apparently gotten through to David with some words of wisdom. She told Adam that her attempt to enact revenge on David had failed to less the pain she was feeling. David must have realized that getting even was a fruitless game and decided to declare a cease-fire in his war against Adam. "Then you are a bloody fool," snapped Adam. "You are not the same savvy woman that I married." The obvious implication was that David had fed Erica a handful of lies and that she'd swallowed every last one as though they were the truth. Erica remained sure that David was a changed man and that led Adam to believe that Erica had defected to David's side. He announced that he would defeat David Hayward even if he had to do it himself. He let it be know that he already had the means necessary to get rid of David once and for all. Erica became quite concerned and asked Adam if his plan revolved around a homicide. Adam shook his head and said only that David would never see him coming. Adam stormed out of the house. Oddly, he stopped momentarily on the front porch and grimaced slightly before continuing in his way. Erica stood shell-shocked in the parlor helpless and unsure what to make of Adam's announcement. She shook the cobwebs loose and raced back upstairs. A short while later, another knock sounded on the front door. Again Erica raced down the staircase and again she exhibited disappointment upon seeing her visitor. "Please don't turn me away," said Vanessa nervously. Erica sighed and tried to slam the door in Vanessa's face. Vanessa managed to get her foot in the door and thereby gained access to the house. Vanessa pleased with Erica to heat her latest tale of woe about how her son had treated her. "I don't care," Erica responded before ordering Vanessa to get off of her property.

David told Jake that he was too bust checking his mail and returning phone calls to speak with him. Jake violently knocked everything off of David's desk and demanded that his colleague give him his full attention. He told David that Adam and Liza were getting married in only a few hours and that he needed to find a way to stop the wedding. David shrugged indifferently and asked Jake why he thought that he could help him stop the wedding. Jake reminded David that Adam had gone to great lengths to steal a file folder from Leslie Coulson's office. David nodded, but refused to tell Jake what it was that he had on Adam. Jake once again had a violent outburst. This time, he grabbed David by the collar and ordered him to stop playing games. "You're right," David confessed. "I do have something on Adam. Something big." Thinking that David was going to tell his tale, Jake unhanded David. David, however, wasn't going to let his secret out just yet. "Spill!" Jake hollered, growing more and more agitated with each passing minute. "Don't tempt me," David sneered. It was no secret that David and Jake disliked each other. It was this hated that made it surprisingly that Jake would be asking David for a favor. David said that he was tempted to tell Jake what he had on Adam simply because it would turn Jake's life into "a living hell." But a strong man, said David, does not give into temptation. Citing what Gillian had told him about her encounter with David, Jake told David that he knew the kind of games he played. David was amused that Jake had "enlisted [Jake] to be her new champion." The doctor wasn't sure why so many men raced to Gillian's aid. "How does a cheap little tart get [all of the] so-called honorable men?" he asked Jake. From there his crass criticism of Gillian took an even saltier turn. "She's good in bed, but I've had better," David muttered. "How would you rate her?" Jake shook his head and told David that his crude remarks were unwarranted. He determined that it was time to turn up the heat on David. He warned David to be on the lookout because Adam had something on him. For the first time David showed signs of concern. He asked Jake to tell him what Adam had on him, but now it was Jake who was refusing to part with any details. The two men reached a stalemate. The door to the office swung open and Joe and Derek filed into the room. Derek held up a letter and asked David if he'd care to explain why the letter claimed that Adam had killed him. David felt no need to explain. In fact, he laughed in the detective's face. Derek threatened to arrest David, but David knew that no crime had been committed. Joe lectured David on his unprofessional behavior, but again David was unmoved. "I have a wedding to attend," David smiled. He breezed past the two men and left the office. Joe tried to get some answers from his son, but Jake took off after David.

Hayley and Mateo hit the beach, the same spot where they'd first met. The two took time out to plan the next holiday fete at Sounds of Salsa. Before they could make any firm plans, Mateo's cellular phone rang. Ryan was on the other end with some bad news. Max was having second thoughts about canceling his visit with Mateo. Mateo asked Ryan to tell Max that everything was okay. He then suggested that Ryan take Max to the lake to hunt for tadpoles. That, he laughed, should keep Max occupied for at least five minutes. Mateo and Hayley went back to the their picnic but before long the phone was ringing again. This time Max was on the line. He told Mateo that he missed him. Mateo, in turn, told Max that he missed him too. Hayley gently rubbed Mateo's back and urged him to go and spend time with his son. Mateo had a better idea. He asked Max to put Ryan on the phone. Mateo then asked Ryan to drop by the beach so that they could all have a big picnic together. Hayley was as optimistic as possible and told her lover that she was sure that they'd get more time alone sometime in the future. When Max arrived, he raced right to his father's arms---once again completely ignoring Hayley. Max mentioned that he wanted to call his mother because the nurse was supposedly going to help her walk today. No one knew about this. Hayley told Mateo that it might not be a bad idea for him to visit Raquel and see hoe her physical therapy was going. All the while she put on a happy face, but a glance in her eyes would have told Mateo that she was dying inside. Mateo smiled and thanked Hayley for understanding. Remarkably, Hayley told Mateo not to worry about going to Adam and Liza's wedding with her. Later, Hayley insisted that she was feeling okay, but Ryan didn't buy it.

At the Wildwind chapel, Adam met with Barry to discuss the security arrangements for the wedding. No less than six guards had been stationed on the grounds and all had been given picture of David Hayward. Under no circumstance were they to let David anywhere near the chapel. Barry handed Adam a piece of paper and said that it was a wedding gift. The paper was a printout of the forensic tests done on the waterproof pouch and money. They proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that David had handled the money. Jake appeared alongside Adam and demanded to know what was going on between him and David. Adam tried to brush off the young doctor and even went as far as to uninvite Jake. That did little to discourage Jake as he again firmly stated that he wasn't going anywhere until Adam came clean.

Opal finished the final touches on Liza's hair and makeup. Liza was pleasantly surprised by the new coiffure she'd been given. Marian and Opal left the room to check on Colby. While the two women were gone, Dixie entered the room and asked to speak to Liza. Liza feared that Dixie was going to try to convince her to back out of the wedding. Liza said that she was very disappointed that Jake and Tad were not there. The two men were supposed to be her friends and she'd really hoped that they'd be there to support her. Dixie swore that she was there as Liza's friend and that she had no intention of trying to talk Liza out of talking the walk down the aisle. Everyone deserves a second chance at happiness, Dixie noted. She asked Liza to close her eyes and hold out her hand. Liza was a bit reluctant to do so, but she eventually did. Dixie gently placed an ornate antique sapphire brooch in Liza's hand. Dixie explained that the piece of jewelry had belonged to Adam's mother and that it was one of the few nice things that Adam had given her during their marriage. The brooch fulfilled the old, blue, and borrowed portions of the old adage. Dixie was quick to note that the brooch was on loan because she planned to give it to Junior to give to his wife one day. As for the "something new," Liza said that her friendship with Dixie would fit just nicely. Liza was still amazed that she and Dixie could be friends after all that had gone down. Opal and Marian returned toting Colby. Liza mentioned that she'd like some time alone and the three women left. Liza held Colby close to her chest and told the infant how happy life would be as a family. "Besides the day you were born, this is going to be the most excellent day of my life," Liza beamed. She set Colby down in her crib. She heard a sound from behind and turned towards the door to see who was there. David walked slowly into the room with a serious expression etched on his face.